Method and apparatus to play card game

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus to play poker or blackjack games that include novel playing cards that do not have non-descriptive back. When the novel cards are initially dealt either the suit or rank, but not both, of the card is displayed. If the player selects the card, both the suit and rank are displayed.

[0001] This invention is a continuation in part of co-pendingapplication Ser. Nos. 10/081,095 and 10/211,063 and is based on aprovisional patent filing 60/429,241. These applications are for a noveltype of playing cards and various poker and blackjack games. One novelaspect of theses inventions is that the cards have the numerical value(also called the rank) or the suit on one side and the both the suit andvalue on the other side. The result is that the cards have nonon-descriptive backs, as conventional cards have.

[0002] Various poker-type or blackjack type games can be played usingthis card deck. For example, when a game is played the player typicallywill be presented with cards that have the suit or the rank, and theplayer will have to select which card will help him to achieve the bestcard hand for a particular game.

BACKGROUND

[0003] There are a few games that have unconventional cards. One game iscalled SPLIT and uses cards cut in half so that the top half of the cardis one value and the bottom half has another value. Another game thatseems to have cards without the suit is described in US 2001/0,035,608A1.

[0004] These cards and games, however, are completely different from thecards and games described here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a poker-type game where the player is presented withtwo cards, one which shows the rank and the other the suit, and theplayer is required to pick one card at a time to form a poker hand.

[0006] FIGS. 2 to 4 show another poker-type game where ten cards aredealt and the player is required to form a five-card hand.

[0007] FIGS. 5 to 6 show a blackjack-type game.

[0008]FIGS. 7 and 8 show a table version of the blackjack type gameusing this invention.

[0009]FIG. 9 shows a diamond-shaped poker game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a poker-type game using the novel cards of thedisclosed invention. In this game, two cards 1-10 and 1-20 are dealt.One card, card 1-10, shows the rank (7) and the other card, card 1-20,shows the suit (club). The player is required to pick one of the cardsto begin forming a five card poker hand. After he selects the card, itappears in the spaces designated by elements 1-30 to 1-70 with both thecard rank and suit visible. For example, if the player picked card 1-20, it would reappear in space 1-30 and a new card would appear wherecard 1-20 had been. The player would then be given a choice between thenew card and card 1-10, which would still be shown as a seven. After hemade his choice the card would appear in space 1-40 and a new card wouldbe shown in the space from where the card had been taken.

[0011]FIG. 2 shows the game after four cards have been selected. Thegame would continue until all the spaces 1-30 through 1-70 were filledin. The hand would then be compared to a paytable 1-80 or to anotherhand, such as a dealer's hand for example.

[0012] The game could, of course be played with hands that consist ofmore or less cards than the five-card hand shown. For example, three orseven-card hands could be used.

[0013]FIGS. 3 and 4 show a game where ten cards are initially dealt intwo five-card rows.

[0014] One row displays only the rank of the cards, and the other rowshows only the suit. For example, in FIG. 3 cards 3-200 to 3-240 onlydisplay the rank of the cards, and cards 3-250 to 3-290 show only thesuit. The player then selects a five card poker hand from those cards.In this embodiment, when the player selects the cards they appearsequentially in spaces 2-300 to 2-340, as shown in FIG. 4, with both therank and suit revealed. After the player has selected the five cards forhis hand, the hand is compared to a paytable or to another hand (adealer's for example), and the player is paid off accordingly.

[0015]FIG. 4 shows the game after five cards have been selected.

[0016] In another embodiment, both the rank and suit of the selectedcards in spaces 2-300 and 2-340 are not revealed until after all fivecards are selected.

[0017] This game could also be played in a three or seven hand version,where, for example the player would be required to select cards for athree or seven-card poker hand from the cards displayed. The number ofinitially dealt cards that are displayed cards could also be changed.For example, in a three-card version of the game, only five cards couldbe displayed. In the seven cards embodiment, 12 or 14 cards could bedisplayed, and the player could select from those cards. Of course, aseven-card game could be played using the ten-card display shown in FIG.3. Also, the displayed cards need not be shown in rows. Columns, or someother configuration would serve the same purpose.

[0018] This game could also be played using eight and nine cardversions. In the eight card version, for example, four rank cards andfour suit cards would be displayed and the player would select a fivecard hand from those eight cards. In the nine card version, four rankcards and five suit cards could be displayed, or five rank and four suitcards could be displayed. Again, the player would be required to build afive card hand.

[0019] Based on computer modeling of the ten card game, it appears thatabout forty percent of the time a player would get two pairs, whichmight make the game uneconomical to a casino. However, this occurs wherethe player follows an optimal strategy.

Blackjack

[0020]FIGS. 5 and 6 shows a blackjack game using the inventionsdescribed here.

[0021] In this game, the rules are similar to that of standardblackjack. Initially, the dealer is dealt cards 5-400 and 5-410(although the precise order in which the cards are initially displayedis not important). Card 5-400 is shown as a conventional face down card,but it could also be a novel card described in this patent and displayonly the card's suit. The player is dealt cards 5-420 and 5-430, bothface up with both the suit and rank showing. The player is then showntwo cards 5-440 and 5-450. The player can see the rank of card 5-440 andthe suit of card 5-450.

[0022] Based on this information, the player can select which card todraw, i.e., hit, or choose to take no more cards at all, i.e., stand. Ifhe draws card 5-440, that card is added to his hand and another cardthat displays only the rank is displayed where card 5-440 had been, asshown in FIG. 6 element 6-440. His hand is then evaluated by thestandard rules of blackjack to see if the total count or sum of theranks of all of his cards is more than 21. If it is greater than 21, theplayer loses. If it is less than 21, the player is then given anotheropportunity to hit or stand. If he stands, play continues with the nextplayer's hand, if the player has split his hand. If he has not split,the dealer's turn begins.

[0023] After card selection for the player's last hand is completed, thedealer's down card is revealed and the play continues as the dealerdraws cards for his hand. The dealer's strategy could be the same as inordinary blackjack. For example, the dealer must hit until 16 and standover 16. The dealer's strategy could also be different and he wouldalways draw card 6-440 provided it did not put him over 21.

[0024] As in ordinary blackjack, after the dealer has drawn his lastcard, and the dealer's total is less than 22, the player's hand, orhands, are compared individually with the dealer's hand. If the player'shand is closer to 21 than the dealer's, the player wins and vice versa.If both hands have the same value, there is a tie or push.

[0025] In one embodiment, the dealer draws cards from with the same twonovel cards and to use the same strategy as the player. In thisembodiment, the dealer can choose between the two cards displayed, andcan select either the card displaying the rank or the card displayingthe suit based on which is most likely to improve his hand. We havefound the following set of rules for the dealer provides an entertainingembodiment of the game. The dealer will take rank cards 6-440 until histotal is as close to 21 without exceeding it. He does not have to draw arank card if it makes his card total greater than 21. If his card totalis less than 17 and the next card 6-440 would make his total greaterthan 21, he can draw a suit card 6-450.

[0026] Another embodiment allows the dealer to hit if his hand is lessthan 21 and less than the player's. For example, if the player had 18,the dealer had 17 and the rank card displayed was 7, the dealer wouldtake the suit card. This is because the dealer would lose if he stood(did not take a card), and would lose if he took the rank card (thatwould make him bust). Having nothing to lose by taking the suit card,the dealer would take the suit card and hope it was less than 4.

[0027] Other embodiments may utilize different rules to guide thedealer's drawing of cards as well. This game can be played on a videogaming machine such as those used in casinos today for standard drawpoker or similar machines.

[0028] In the initial hands, the rules could be the same as in standardblackjack with respect to: evaluating hands for 21; splitting hands;doubling down; insurance; and surrendering. In other embodiments, theserules may be modified to adjust the relative advantage of the dealerversus the player or players.

[0029] Card selection in any of these games could be with mechanicalbuttons or by using a touch screen. Voice or eye commands could also beused.

[0030] There are other games that can be played with the novel cardsdescribed in this application and co-pending application no. 10/081,095.

[0031] Additionally, these games could be played as table games. Thereare a number of ways to display the rank cards and suit cards for eachgame. For example, if they were played as table game, there could be twoshoes that contained the cards as in FIG. 7. One shoe would have a meansto display the next card's rank, as in element 7-500 showing an 8, whilethe other would display the next card's suit as in element 7-510 showinga heart. After a player selects either the suit or rank card, the dealeradds it to the player's hand. FIG. 8 shows the same game as FIG. 7 withthe first player having received the 8 (element 7-500) as element 8-522of his hand. A new rank card (4) now appears in the rank shoe as element8-500.

[0032] A device for showing the rank employing translucent coloredlights, one red and one blue on each shoe could be used. The cards wouldbe colored such that one filter would pass through a card's suit whilethe other would pass through the card's rank and the other shoe couldhave a blue filter to permit either the rank or the suit to be visible.

[0033] Another way to display the suit and rank would by means of thecard reader technology and display system described in U.S. Pat. No.6,460,848 for each shoe, and the suits and ranks would be displayed on avideo monitor for the player(s) and dealer to see. Yet anotheralternative would be with a single shoe and two separate devices fordisplaying the rank and suit of the cards. These devices could beattached directly to the shoe such that the cards were mechanicallydelivered to the card readers or displays. Alternatively, a table gamecould be played with cards appropriately coded and with a mechanism todisplay electronically cards dealt on a table. Using this arrangement,the player could be given an option of selecting either cards with aknown rank or cards where the suit was known. One way to make this tablegame would be to have video screens in front of each player so he knowswhat cards are available to be drawn and what cards are in his hand. Thegame could also be made where each player's video screen was shieldedfrom the other players so that only the player could see his own hand.

[0034] The devices could also be freestanding with the dealer placingcards in or under each device for the display or reader to be activated.

“Steal the Dealer's Card”

[0035] Another embodiment of the invention is a blackjack game where theplayer could select the dealer's up card and as use it as his own. Forexample, in FIG. 8 the player with the hand 8-540 and 8-541, whichtotaled 17, could take the dealer's 4 (8-591) and improve his hand to21.

[0036] In a related embodiment, the player could be required to make anadditional payment to obtain the dealer's card.

[0037] If the player took the dealer's card, the dealer would get areplacement card. In the version of the game where the rank of the nextcard is displayed, the dealer could choose to take either the visiblerank card or take the suit card. The dealer's choice could be madeimmediately after his card was taken, or to improve his odds of winningthe dealer could reveal his down card and then choose which card to takeas a replacement card.

[0038] The Steal the Dealer's Card game could also be played withconventional cards that had non-descriptive backs. The game can beplayed as a table game or as a video game.

Diamond Poker Game

[0039] Another game the inventors have developed relates to poker. Inthis game the cards are dealt in a diamond configuration. See FIG. 9.That Figure shows seven five card poker hands can be dealt in thediamond pattern with 13 cards. The center card, 9-70, is common to allhands. One way to play the game is to deal four cards in each hand,excluding the center card. The player would then be given theopportunity to place an additional bet for each hand. Then he would bedealt the center card. The resulting hands would then be compared to apaytable. A bonus could be awarded, if for example four aces were dealtin the four outermost corners (9-10, 9-30, 9-130 and 9-110).

[0040] This game could be played with conventional cards or with theinnovative cards described here that do not have non-descriptive backs.

[0041] This game can also be played with symbols instead of cards.

1. A method to play a card game using cards, or an electronicrepresentation of cards, where cards are initially dealt such thateither the suit or the numerical value, but not both, is visible to theplayer, after the player selects a card both the rank and suit arevisible.
 2. The method to play the card game of claim 1 comprising thefollowing steps: (a) two cards are dealt, one showing only the value andthe other only showing the suit; (b) the player selects either of thetwo cards; (c) the selected card displays both the value and suit and isused to form a poker hand; (d) a new card of the same type as had beenselected (either suit or value) is displayed; and (e) these steps arerepeated until the player forms a five card poker hand, which is thencompared to a paytable.
 3. The method of claim 1 where 10 cards aredealt, five showing the suit and five showing the value, and the playerpicks five cards one at a time to form a poker hand.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 where 10 cards are dealt and the player picks five cards to forma poker hand.
 5. The method of claim 1 where more than five cards aredealt and the players picks cards from the dealt cards and uses thepicked cards to form a poker hand.
 6. The method of claim 1 where thecards are used to play backjack, and where one or more cards displayeither the suit or the value, but not both; and if a suit or value cardis selected, the card displays both the suit and the value.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 used to play blackjack where two cards are dealt to adealer; two cards are dealt to a player; one card is dealt that showsonly the suit and one card is dealt that shows only the numerical value;the player is the given the opportunity to select either the suit orvalue card to attempt to bring his hand as close to 21, without goingover, as possible; after the player has concluded his turn the dealer isgiven the opportunity to select either the suit or value card; and thedealer's and player's hands are then compared and the winner is theplayer closest to 21 without going over.
 8. An apparatus to play a cardgame that displays cards such that initially one or more of the cardsdisplay either the suit or the value, but not both, and when the card isselected both the card's suit and value are displayed.
 9. The apparatusof claim 8 where the suit and value cards are displayed on a videomonitor and the player can select either the suit or value card; andafter the card is selected both the card's suit and value are displayed;this is repeated until a poker hand is formed; and the resulting hand iscompared to a paytable.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 where the suit andvalue cards are displayed on a video monitor; and the player can selecteither the suit or value cards; after the card is selected both thecard's suit and value are displayed; this selection is repeated to forma blackjack hand; then the dealer is then given the option to selecteither the suit or the value cards; either the player or dealer closerto 21, without going over, is the winner.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8where cards are dealt from one or more shoes that displays only the suitor only the value of the cards; after a card is removed from the shoe,both the suit and value are visible; the player uses the removed cardsto create a poker hand.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8 where the game isplayed as a table game and cards are dealt from a shoe that displaysonly the suit or only the value of the cards, after a card is removedfrom the shoe, both the suit and value are visible, and the player usesthese cards to create a blackjack hand.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8where the game is played on as a table game and cards are dealt from ashoe that displays only the suit or only the value of the cards, afterthe card is removed from the shoe, both the suit and value are visible,and the player and dealer use these cards to create a blackjack hand.14. A method to play blackjack where the dealer is dealt one or morecards; the player is dealt one or more cards; and the player is giventhe opportunity to take one of the dealer's cards and use it for his ownhand.
 15. The method of claim 14 where the player is required to placean additional bet to obtain the dealer's card.
 16. A method to play apoker-type game where cards are dealt in a configuration where at leastseven five-card hands have at least one card common to all hands. 17.The method of claim 16 where four cards are dealt in each hand and theplayer is given an opportunity to increase his bet prior to obtainingthe fifth card; after the bet, the fifth card is revealed, and theplayer is paid according to a paytable.
 18. The method of claim 16 wheresome or all of the cards initially show only the suit or only the value.19. The method of claim 16 where symbols are used instead of cards andthe symbols are whimsical figures such as dogs, cats or planets.